A variety of materials are used in armor, shields, and other protective devices. In particular, composite materials are used in some such protective structures to reduce thickness and weight of the structures and/or to increase the flexibility of the structures. For example, a flexible laminate of composite material is conventionally used for forming body armor, which can be incorporated into a suit for protection from explosive blasts and projectiles.
Armor for vehicles, on the other hand, is typically formed of metal plates that are connected to the body or frame of the vehicle. In the case of armored trucks and other armored vehicles, such metal armor can significantly increase the weight of the vehicle, thereby potentially decreasing vehicle performance and efficiency, reducing the effectiveness of the vehicle's suspension, and increasing the need for maintenance.
As the effectiveness and use of certain weaponry is increased, more personnel and structures are potentially exposed to the damaging effects of the weaponry. For example, the increased use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) has put greater numbers of personnel, vehicles, equipment, and other resources at risk. In some cases, such IEDs have become sufficiently powerful to overcome conventional personnel body armor and vehicle armor. In addition to the risks associated with IEDs, personnel, vehicular resources, equipment resources, and other types of resources are at risk of armor piercing incendiaries (APIs), such as 12.7 mm APIs, high explosive incendiaries (HEIs), such as 30 mm HEIs, landmines, and other forms of high energy ordnance. Further, merely increasing the thickness or number of layers of conventional armor to sufficiently protect against improved IEDs, APIs, and HEIs would result in prohibitively heavy armor in some cases.
Thus, there exists a need for improved devices and apparatus for absorbing high energy events and containing materials and/or pressure which can be used for protecting personnel, vehicles, equipment, and other resources which require protection from high energy debris material and pressure.